HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC RES 77-003RESOLUTION NO. 77-3
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT,
CALIFORNIA. ANNOUNCING A POLICY STATEMENT REGARDING THE PRO-
POSED SIGN ORDINANCE. POLICY STATEMENT REGAROING THE PRO-
POSEO SIGN ORDINNICE.
; USE N0. ZOA 02-76
WNEREAS, the Cttp has worlced dtltgently over 'he last yeer on the
Aevelop er+t of S1gn Ordinance for the tity; and,
MHEREAS, the C1ty Council Delleves that it is i nportant that the
lssues and po11c1es that were considered during this period be expressed
publiclr so that the citlzens will have a fult understanding of ha+ this
inportant decision Mas reached; and,
NHEREAS. the City Council betieves such a state nent Mi11 be
valuable to future Councils a G City staffs charged with inplen entation
of the Sign OrdSnance.
NOK, THEREFORE. BE IT RESOLYED by the City Councll of the C1ty of
Palm Desert. California, that it dces hereby express the followin9 as its
findings for adopting tt►e proposed Sign Ordinance:
The City Council stro gly belfeves that Palm Oesert has a unique
character r+hich requires special controls to gua antee its Rreservation and
e hancement. In ad ition, the vitality of the community's charecter must be
established along its major entryways and arterials. The Council feels that
some existing signs within the commercial core adjacent to Highway 111 do
not express the cammunity's character arM are considered a blight to the area.
Further, the enhancement and preservation of the cha acter of Pal n Desert will
not be successful unless 9reater concern is applied to the use of signs throuqh-
out the commun i ty.
It has been dete► nined that the Council's concern with the effect of
poorly regulated signs is also the concern of the businessmen, because the
image expressed to visitors and residents through the cannunity's signs has
a profou d effect on the econonp► of the City. The vitality and groMth of the
econanic sector of the cortnunity is based uport its u ique character. This
unique character must not be iost. The Councll believes that a continuation
of the histo ical Qoor usage of signs in Paln Desert would be very detrimental
to the future of the buslness and residential connwnities of Palm Qesert.
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Atte� inq spent �ore than a year s:uQping t i�pacts of slgns.
and •tter list�ning to �ny points of riea regerdtng the appropriateness of
s1�s, both tro� the buslnessw�n's and coewmlty's standpoint. the Councll
reallres tMt ft is essenti�l to keep these interests 1n balance. The pro-
posed S/gn Ordlnana does thts. It has been approved only a ttr� having
u refully 1lstened ta ererro�e wfa has desired to speak o� the �atte� and
weighing all the conterns that Mere e�ressed. In cul�lnating the develop-
�e++t of the 51yn Ordinance. the Ccuncll is of the opinion that the characte�
of the co��lty a�d its eco�owic vitality art inseparable and. therefore.
the Councll was �endated to ieple�ent a Sign Ordinance that adequately co�-
trols the use of slgns Mithin tf+e cowimunity. this significant fact renained
constantly befon the Councii.
Trie Council recog�izes a�d strongly subscribes to the right of the
businessman to identify his business. Still� the �ight to adverttse must be
kept Nithin reasonable bounda�ies consiste�t rith the objectives a�d goals of
the conmunity to retain the special attributes and econo�nic adrantages Mhich
rest largely o� the quallty of its appearance. it is reali=ed that reasonable
minds differ as to the best solution to the slgn problea�. The respoosib111tY
for flnding the solution, Iwwever, Nas with the Council and it believes the
proposed Ordinance is responsive to that responsibility anA to the problem.
In analyzing Lhe effect of the present sign usage in Pal�n Desert, it
was concluckd that first. many of the Rrony existtnq signs are incompatible with
the community character. Setond, throu9h the develop�aent of the General Plan
and its subsequent Zoning Ordinance, a paranqunt then�e Mas expressed, which
centers upon the architectu�ai cwapatibility of the u�its to the City as a
whole. In order to tarry out such a concept, it is essential that signs be
cortpatible not just Mith the developrt�ent in which they are located, but also
to the surroviding area, and ultiinately, the total cammunity.
Third, existing signs see+a to deaanstrate that they were erected
with no atteapt to confor� to the cha�acter of the conn�mity. In reviewing
the records of the City of Palw Desert and the County of Riversfde, it was
dett nxined that wnny of the offending signs uere installed without pe►n�its.
Further. �aeny of the signs were intended to be te�po�ary in nature and have
continued beyond their reasonable life. These offending signs are a nuisance
and should be abated as soo� as possible. As long as they ►+en�in. they are
not only a bli9ht, but an eco�o�ic disbenefit. Because the area is believed
to be at the crossroads of its economic life, the Council feels that every
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IEesol utt on Mo. 7T-,�
etfort a��ilsbl� wust ee ut111zed to gwnntee 1ts tuture eco�wwlc success.
k Accordingly. there �s a Mn�te to abate these slgns In the shortest posslble
t1wt.
Fourth. keeping in �Ind the �ight of the busiress�wn to ldentifr his
Dusiness. the Council sought a proper balance between such pusiness identifi-
catlon and the rlght of Yisiton and resiAents to be protected fro� a visual
and public t n�peting of overbea�ing advertising. To the Council, 1t is
cleerly ertdent that the cha ncter of Palr, Desert is intrinsically lnternoven
Ktth the in�ege presented by the co�n+�rciai area. Ove►�bearing si9ns can de-
grade our co��nity, depreciate econo�aic and soclai values, and turn aMay
lnvestors and vtsitors. Signs are ineant to catch the public's eye; Dut the
public has a right to be insulateE against abusive and co�stant intrusions
of blatent conmercial nessages. Such lnvasions are out of step Mith the
natural beauty and dlgnity of our dese�t enviro�ment.
Finally. the Counctl concluded that the use of signs should be li�nited
to namtng the bustness or the nature of Lhe activitr bein9 conducted on the
premises. It was felt that the public safety is Jeopardlted if signs are too
large or too n�uch informetion is expressed; because such signs tenA to over-
attract the atte�tto� of Motorists away fraa road haza�s. For these reasons,
the regulations specified on the proposed Siqn Ordinance are deemed by the
Council to be imperative.
PASSE�. APPROVEO. and AOOPTEO at a regula�ly scheduled �neeting of the
Pal�n Desert C1 �r Council. held on this �Fj day of February . 1977, by the
folla+ln9 vott, to wit:
ArES: McPherson, Mulli�s, Newbrande�, Seidle� b Brush
NOES: fbne
ABSEMT: Mone
ABSTAIN: fbne
A7TEST:
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CI?Y OF PALM DESERT. CALI R11IA
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